Are Memory Foam Mattresses Good For Back Pain
Memory foam mattresses are often touted as the best option for back pain, and they certainly can be, thanks to their balance of support and cushioning. However, choosing the right firmness is essential. If you go this route, find a mattress made with high-quality, dense memory foam designed to provide ample support. Keep in mind that many inexpensive memory foam mattresses are too plush to keep the spine properly aligned, which can actually worsen your back and joint pain.
How We Chose Our Products
Our team of sleep specialists have reviewed more than 150 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
When choosing the Best Mattresses for Back Pain, we sought out beds that were durable and supportive enough to keep the spine in proper alignment. Of the 10 products on our list, seven mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of support and eight mattresses scored a 4 out of 5 or higher in the category of durability.
Also, if you specifically experience lower back pain, check out our list of the best mattresses for lower back pain and sciatica.
Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress
Type: Organic hybrid mattressMaterials: Dunlop latex, foam, innersprings, natural wool, natural cottonHeight: 13 inchesTrial/Warranty: 365 nights/lifetime
Awara makes one of the most affordable organic mattresses on the market. As we mention in our Awara Mattress review, sleepers in any position will find their spine properly aligned and supported thanks to a top layer of adaptive Dunlop latex. The cotton/wool blend cover makes for a cool night’s sleep too, and exceptional edge support will allow most individuals to sit comfortably at the edge of the bed without compressing their back.
As with the DreamCloud above, the Awara is a firmer mattress that lighter bodies may need some time to adjust to. A one-year trial is provided to allow for that, with a limited-lifetime warranty protecting your purchase. The latest Awara drops prices to $699 for a twin, with up to $499 of free bedding bundled in.
Height: 11.5 or 14.5 inchesTrial/Warranty: 365 nights/15 yearsThe Saatva Classic has earned the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations Seal of Approval for back pain relief. It’s highly customizable when it comes to firmness and height, so you can better tailor it to your back needs. We tested an 11.5-inch medium-firm version in our Saatva Classic Mattress review and experienced a decrease in back pain, as well as cooler sleep.
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The 7 Best Mattresses For Back Pain Of 2022
The Saatva Mattress supports natural spine alignment to relieve back pain
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Verywell Health / Sabrina Jiang
Anyone who lives with back pain understands what a major difference a restful nights sleep can makeand, on the flip side, how disruptive it is when you wake up already experiencing discomfort. There are many causes of back pain, including sleeping on a bad mattress, so you’ll want to make sure that the mattress you sleep on every night is meeting your needs.
Try It Out With Our Reassuring 60 Night Comfort Exchange
Theres only one true test for a new mattress: to sleep on it. It can take a little time to settle-in with a new mattress so when you buy a mattress directly from our website, we offer a comfort exchange that gives you 60 nights to get really comfortable before making a decision.
If youre still not loving your new mattress within 60 nights from delivery, you can exchange it for another mattress. You can find out more about the 60 night comfort exchange here.
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Why The Leesa Legend Suits Sleepers With Shoulder And Back Pain
When lying down on the Leesa Legend, sleepers should feel their shoulders sink into the soft foams for some deep pressure relief. At the same time, the mattress springs should prevent them from sinking in too far, which helps keep the spine in a neutral alignment. You get some cushioning while your body gets lifted.
Here Is The List Of Best Mattress For Back Pain In India 2022
- Wakefit Orthopedic Memory Foam Mattress
- Sleepyhead Orthopedic Memory Foam Mattress
- SleepyCat Latex Organic Latex Mattress
- Sleepwell SleepX Ortho Memory foam Mattress
- Duroflex Back Magic 5 Zoned Orthopedic Coir Mattress
- Wakefit Dual Comfort Memory Foam Mattress
- SleepyCat Premium Orthopedic Gel Memory Foam Mattress
- Sleepyhead 3 Layered Orthopedic Memory Foam Mattress
- Emma Orthopedic Mattress
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Casper Original Hybrid Mattress
- Height: 11 inches
Caspers Original Hybrid Mattress is medium firm, with three zones of targeted support to keep your spine aligned. Softer CertiPUR-US certified foam around the shoulders cradles the upper body, while firmer foam supports the hips, waist, and lower back. A layer of springs adds support.
The mattress comes with a 100-night trial, free shipping and returns, and a 10-year limited warranty.
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Can Sleeping Position Affect Back Pain
Sleeping position can have a direct effect on back pain. Each sleeping position creates a unique set of pressure points and areas that need cushioning, and this is why our testers believe having the right mattress to suit your sleeping position is an important part of preventing and reducing back pain.
Back sleepers tend to have their most serious pressure points around the lumbar area. Our pressure tests on various mattresses have shown that if a mattress is too soft, the weight of the abdomen will cause this region to sink out of alignment with the rest of the back and hips. If the mattress is too hard, it wont accommodate the natural curvature of the spine in the lumbar area. For this reason, a medium-firm to firm mattress usually works best for back sleepers.
Side sleepers have high-impact areas where the body is the widest, notably at the shoulders and hips. A mattress needs to be contouring enough to cushion those pressure points but not so soft as to let you sink too deeply into the bed and out of line with the rest of the body. Most side sleepers on our test team get the best results from a medium soft to medium firm mattress.
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Best Kind Of Mattress For Back Pain
There are three primary types of mattresses that you can choose from when conquering back pain: innerspring, memory foam, and hybrid.
Innerspring is by far the most popular, with hybrid at a close second.
Memory foam is comfortable but often doesnt have an adequate amount of support recommended for back sleepers.
Lets take a look at all three styles in more detail to help you make the perfect decision for your bedroom.
Need More Help With Back Pain
These free resources will help you get on the right track to ridding yourself of back pain!
- Find a mattress to relieve you of back pain with Mattress Match
- Learn about all the options with our Mattress Buying Guide
- Experience the REM sleep deserve with our Better Sleep Guide
- Go from Zs to As in college with this sleep guide for students
- Want to conquer sleep deprivation? Check out our sleeping disorders guide
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Why The Bear Suits Athletes
The mattress comes with a 2 layer of graphite gel-infused foam, which should help cool you down after a workout. It also fills in the space in your lumbar region while youre lying down, alleviating exercise-related aches and pains.
But the mattress most unique feature is a cover made of a material called Celliant, which is purported to help with muscle recovery and assist with blood flow. While we cant prove these claims here at Sleepopolis, we can confirm that the cover of the mattress is cooling and should further help athletes keep a low temperature.
The Best Mattress For Back Pain Recommended By An Osteopath
Our expert says the best mattress for back pain depends on your posture, weight and sleeping style: so which is right for you?
Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the UK and affects approximately one in six adults. It’s aggravated by our sedentary lifestyles and bad posture, both at our desks and while we sleep. While no mattress will be a magic fix, an unsupportive one can compound the problem.
“Typically inflammatory pain is worse in the morning because as we lie, our heart rate slows down, circulation slows and any inflammation stays pooled in the area. Sleep position is key,” says Dave Gibson, osteopath, sleep coach and founder of The Sleep Site.
To avoid back pain you should ideally sleep with your spine in alignment. For back sleepers and front sleepers the main danger is that the spine settles into a U-shape while sleeping. For side sleepers it depends on the pressure points at shoulder, hip and head.
“Lie on your side in bed and get your partner to take a photograph so you can see how your spine lines up,” Gibson recommends. “Your pillow needs to be the right height and the mattress needs to be supportive enough so that when you lie down, your spine is in alignment. It can help to put a pillow between your knees. It also helps if the mattress is firm.”
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If You Cant Shop In Person
Its really hard to tell whether a specific mattress is right for you without lying on it first. Firmness, pressure relief, and support are all highly subjective factors, which is why weve always advised trying out a mattress in person prior to purchasing. But we also know that can be easier said than done. So in lieu of our usual try-before-you-buy advice, we recommend that you look for a generous return policy on any mattress youre thinking of buying sight unseen.
With respect to trial periods and return policies, here are your best options of all the mattresses in this guide:
More mattress coverage
Who its for: The Saatva Classic in Luxury Firm caters to back-pain sufferers who prefer a traditional innerspring mattress with a just-cushy-enough top. Its likely to feel comfortable regardless of your preferred sleep position.
How it feels: Weve been long-term testing our Saatva Classic for more than a year, and it has softened slightly from a stiff medium-firm to a plusher medium-firm.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: The 416 support coils in the bottom half of the Saatva Classic are sturdy, but they number only about half those in the pricier WinkBed , another innerspring weve liked in the past. Theyre not individually wrapped, either, which can lead to motion transfer. For that reason, we think the Saatva works best if you sleep alone or dont wake easily when your partner rolls over.
Best Adjustable Mattress For Back Pain: Sleep Number 360 I8
Sleep Number states that this adjustable mattress may suit back and stomach sleepers. The mattress is split down the middle. Users can adjust comfort and firmness on each side separately.
An adjustable mattress may suit people with back pain as they can adapt the firmness and position to their needs.
The mattress features responsive Air technology that automatically adjusts according to a persons movements. The contouring surface also conforms to the individual to provide more support.
Sleep Number claims that this mattress can absorb and release excess heat to keep users cool throughout the night.
The mattress has a height of 12 inches .
The price depends on the mattress size chosen, as follows:
- Twin XL: $3,349
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What Is A Negative Space Mattress
The negative space mattress offered by SONU Sleep was specifically designed to relieve pressure points and improve spinal alignment for side sleepers.
The mattress features a unique design with its patented Comfort Channel, allowing you to immerse your arm into the actual mattress, which helps to reduce strain on the pressure points that are usually irritated by side sleeping. With your arms and upper torso fully supported, cooling layers, sink-in support, be prepared for your most unforgettable sleeping experience.
Additionally, the negative space mattress is also breathable and cooling thanks to its list of premium materials within each SONU, including latex, memory foam and high resilience foams, all wrapped in a layer of plush cooling serene that keeps the sleeper comfortable throughout the night.
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Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress
Maximum relaxation in six layers
The Puffy Lux hybrid, which offers the ultimate level of luxury and firmness, is featured in Puffy Lux Mattress.
If you enjoy sleeping on your side and want to eliminate your recurring back strain, this bedding is one of your top solutions.
The upper layer is a cloud cover that resists stains. It has a lovely fluffy pattern which is stain and allergen-free. The zipped case feature also makes it simple to keep everything organized.
Cooling cloud foam forms up the subsequent level. Its purpose is to remove the bodys excess heat. Any sleeping habit will be most comfy thanks to the 1.5-inch layer of foam with gel infusion that wraps and strengthens the muscles and joints.
Plush Dual Cloud Foam makes up the third layer. Finally, the only mattress that organically conforms to the spine and lowers back, thanks to a 1.5-inch layer of pressure-relieving foam, is the Puffy Lux Hybrid.
There is a fourth layer of Climate Comfort Foam. Since it contains a 2-inch layer of humidity-resistant foam engineered to heat up, cool down, and encourage airflow, you may sleep comfortably without feeling hot.
The fifth consists of two pieces:
Construct core support foam with robust coils that can shape. High-density foam and precisely pocketed coils are combined in a 7-inch layer that extends to the mattress for added durability and shock absorption.
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Mattress Features To Look For To Relieve Back Pain
When shopping for a mattress to help relieve back pain, some features are more important than others. With so many products and a bevy of marketing hype, it can be tough to parse out what really matters. Based on our extensive experience testing mattresses, we believe that youre most likely to get the most satisfaction out of your purchase by focusing on certain key considerations:
Different Types Of Mattresses For Adjustable Beds
Luckily when it comes to finding the best adjustable mattress and adjustable base, you have a lot of options as far as types and materials. Based on your personal preferences and sleeping style, you can decide which one will be most suitable for you. When you’re shopping for an adjustable mattress online, you want to make sure it has a decent sleep trial period, and at least a 5 year warranty.
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Other Things To Consider
There is no single right mattress for everyone, but there are certain considerations when youre dealing with lower back pain:
- Mattress firmness: Soft or plush mattresses likely wont provide enough support. Research from 2003 suggests medium-firm mattresses are better for reducing low back pain than firm mattresses.
- Adjustability: Adjustable mattresses that let you choose your firmness level from one night to the next can be a good option but be prepared to pay a premium for this feature.
- Zoned support: Some mattresses are designed with zoned support, offering more firmness in the lower back region.
Make a point of checking reviews so you can see what previous purchasers have to say about any mattresses youre considering.
Comfort is highly individual, so take advantage of the free in-home trials that manufacturers offer when theyre available to find a mattress that balances enough support for your lower back with overall comfort. Check the return policy and warranty, too.
Sleeping on your back is generally considered best for the body, says McSweeney. But supporting your body in your preferred sleep position can also work. Getting sleep is the most important thing for your health and well-being.
Whatever your preferred sleeping position, here are a few tricks that can help minimize lower back pain:
What Is Back Pain
Most of us know when our back is giving us issues, but whats really happening here behind the scenes?
According to the National Institute of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases, back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the U.S it can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes it hard to move.
Surveys from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke found that about 80 percent of Americans will struggle with back pain at some point in their lifetimes. This potentially helps explain why back pain is the fifth most common reason people go to the doctor.
At the same time, many pain sufferers do not see a doctor because of pride, money issues, or other reasons. The Mayo Clinic describes back pain symptoms as:
- Pain that radiates down the leg
- Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing, or walking
- Pain that improves with reclining
The Mayo Clinic also defines two types of back pain: acute and chronic. Acute back pain occurs when symptoms last between a few days and a few weeks. If the symptoms last for over 12 weeks, this is considered chronic back pain.
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